Wednesday Daily Puck: Back On Ice In Dallas

Dan Pennucci has covered hockey for Rotowire since 2002 and is the author of Blue Line Buzz since 2011 as well as being the co-author of Morning Skate. He also is a contributor to Talking Red, a New Jersey Devils blog and podcast. He is an English teacher and formerly wrote for The Coast Star in Manasquan, New Jersey where he and his sports section won several New Jersey Press Association awards. Dan Pennucci is a supporter of the New Jersey Devils, Washington Nationals and Chelsea FC. He's attended sporting events in six countries.

-Several years worth of frustration, rumors, overall underachievement and mismanagement has resulted in Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis finding himself unemployed Tuesday. There’s a lot to examine here with the Canucks: John Tortorella’s style of play doesn’t exactly mesh well with the Orcas’ current roster, the Canucks had two legitimate starting goaltenders in June of last year, now they have none, they have one of the league’s best two-way centers asking out in Ryan Kesler and they face a bloated payroll and goalscoring woes. It’s not fair to blame Gillis for all of this, but the seemingly interminable Roberto Luongo saga went down on his watch and, after the way Cory Schneider has been playing for New Jersey, Bo Horvat needs to become an elite player to vindicate Gillis. Fans in Vancouver didn’t riot, but they did take to social media to vent and celebrate. The Canucks will find that Gillis wasn’t the sole issue.

-Owners in the final week of their season will want to take note of teams who’ve soundly qualified for the postseason resting their regular players, as Montreal made their trip to Chicago for Wednesday’s game without Carey Price, as Price will start Thursday’s tilt against the Islanders. Andrei Markov also remained in Montreal for Wednesday’s game, but he will play Thursday. Owners will need to navigate their rosters a bit further this week as teams like Boston and St. Louis have incentive to rest players as to not risk injury. Pittsburgh played their contest Sunday against Colorado without four of their regulars, including Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz.

-Highlighting Wednesday’s slate of action is a Pacific Division clash between San Jose and Anaheim as both are still vying for the division crown with the loser getting to play Los Angeles in the opening round. The Ducks enter the game three points ahead of the Sharks with both teams having three games remaining.

-Detroit looks to further cement a wild card spot against Pittsburgh in a game that could be a divisional playoff preview.

-The game which will garner attention on the evening takes place in Dallas, as the Stars and Blue Jackets resume their cancelled game from the night of Rich Peverley’s collapse on the bench following a heart issue. This game will have significant meaning for the two teams, both as a reminder of what happened on March 10 and for their playoff hopes, which seem trivial when put into the context of the Peverly situation. Dallas and Columbus are occupying wild card spots entering play Tuesday. The Jackets have a clearer path to the playoffs but Dallas’s season finale against Phoenix on Sunday could be for the West’s eighth and final spot. Peverly has had successful surgery in the weeks since and is recovering well.

-Of note for the Dallas-Columbus game on Wednesday is the fact that a full 60 minutes will be played with Columbus starting the game up 1-0, which was the score when the Peverly incident occurred. Nathan Horton, who is unlikely to play Wednesday due to a lower-body injury that has sidelined him the last four games, scored that goal. This would be a first in an NHL game where a player was credited with a goal having not played in the game.

-Alex Ovechkin grabbed his 50th goal of the season in Tuesday’s game against St. Louis.

Sheldon Souray, D - Out for season, hasn't played at all, wrist surgery

(all statsitics through Tuesday, April 8)

HotBrandon Dubinsky, C, Columbus- With a goal and four assists in the last five games entering Tuesday’s action, Dubinsky has been giving Columbus some valuable secondary production. He’s a versatile forward who may have more use to the Jackets than to your roster, but he’s worth a look in deep leagues for a spot start on Wednesday. He sits with 49 points in 72 games, the highest total of his career since he registered 54 in the 2010-11 season for the Rangers.

Max Pacioretty, LW, Montreal- As Montreal gears up for its divisional playoff matchup against Tampa Bay, the Lightning will have to be wary of the trio of David Desharnais, Thomas Vanek and Max Pacioretty. The latter is closing in on his first 40-goal season and is delivering outstanding numbers and vital goals for the Habs, including a hat trick in last Friday’s win over Ottawa, adding two assists for good measure in the contest. He has eight goals over the last eight games and represents one of the league’s best options in pools which count shots on goal.

Cory Schneider, G, New Jersey-Everything but the win has been the mantra for Schneider this season. He suffered a crushing 1-0 defeat against Calgary on Monday as the Devils all but buried their own playoff hopes, but it hasn’t been the fault of Schneider, who has allowed just one goal in four of his last five starts. He’s posted a 2-1-2 record over that span and has done everything to keep New Jersey in the playoffs except score goals. The Devils do not play again until Thursday, when their playoff hopes could be dashed. Don’t be surprised to see Schneider sit on the season’s final day if the Devils are indeed cooked, as their game against Boston could be Martin Brodeur’s last in a Devils’ sweater.

Kari Lehtonen, G, Dallas- Owning a 6-3 over his last nine starts, Lehtonen’s averages haven’t been amazing, but he’s getting wins and keeping Dallas in the playoff hunt while their offense lights up the scoreboard. Save for last week’s loss to Carolina that saw Lehtonen allow three goals on 16 shots against Carolina, Lehtonen has been giving Dallas a chance to win. Look for them to ride him the rest of the week.

ColdJaroslav Halak, G, Washington- While it’s unfair to pin Washington’s late season swoon on new Capital Jaroslav Halak, there has to be some responsibility placed there. The Caps don’t play a goalie-friendly system and have been about as enigmatic the last month as their mercurial star, Alexander Ovechkin. Halak sat Tuesday against St. Louis but hadn’t been solid of late, allowing 12 goals in his last four starts with an 0-2-2 record in that span. Don’t be surprised to see Halak in another sweater next season, but, if the Caps somehow make the postseason, he could be an asset. James Neal, RW, Pittsburgh- With just one goal in the last nine games, owners have been hoping to get more from their star winger than three assists over that stretch. Neal, not unlike the Penguins themselves, have been pressing lately as they look to build a sense of momentum before the playoffs, where they will likely face either Detroit or Columbus in the opening round.

Recommended PickupJeremy Morin, LW, Chicago- While the Blackhawks are playing out the stretch minus Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, Morin has been busy the last three games, with two goals and four points in an increased role. He bagged two points in Sunday’s win over St. Louis along with 3:18 of power play time. This is not to say his numbers will continue in the season’s final week, but Chicago needs goals from somewhere as they attempt to hunt down St. Louis.